This invention involves an electrical bypass apparatus and meethod specifically directed to use in irrigation control systems.
Automatic irrigation systems for outdoor landscapes have become quite commonplace. Whether it is for commercial or residential property, the basic elements of the system are very similar. The landscape field is separated into zones which are each irrigated by a plurality of water distribution outlets including sprinkler heads, drip tubes, and the like. Each of the outlets for a particular zone is connected by plastic pipe in a zone pipe line to an automatic valve. This valve is actuated by a reduced amperage electrical current, such as a common twenty-four volt system. Electrical wires lead back to a building on the premises through an outer wall to an irrigation timing control device that is located inside the building. Such devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,526,198 to Scott and 4,189,776 to Kendall, incorporated herein by reference thereto. These devices provide current to the electrically operated automatic valves in the field at preset times for preset intervals. These devices also typically include a testing mode where the zones are turned on for short periods of time for testing purposes. Intermally, the devices include a transformer with reduced amperage connection points and electrical connection points corresponding to each of the zone valves.
Where the climate of the location of the field includes freezing weather, it is necessary to blow out the system in the fall, removing water from the lines and the valves to prevent winter freeze damage. In the spring, it is necessary to turn the system on again and check for any damage, leaks, or worn out equipment, such as the sprinkler heads. These fall and spring services are usually provided by third party individuals who are usually in the landscaping business and may have originally installed the irrigation system. Since the irrigation timing control device is inside a building, commonly in a garage for a residential property, the person coming for the winterization step or the spring turn-on must a have access to the inside of the building. In today's society, fewer and fewer people are home during normal weekday working hours. While in some cases the homeowner will leave the garage door unlocked or leave a key with a neighbor, this arrangement is becoming less and less frequent. Further, homeowners frequently forget appointments made for servicing and due to either forgetfulness or last minute emergencies, it is increasingly common for the servicing company to make two or more trips to each home before they can gain access to the irrigation timing control device. A major amount of time is spent attempting to make appointments and managing the schedule to fit the homeowner's schedule and adjust to changes that occur. A possible answer is to locate the buried valves and actuated them directly for testing purposes. That is not practical in that locating the valves can be very difficult and, in many cases, the servicing company is not the original installer. The basic problem is that with present systems, someone must be home for the winterization and spring turn-on procedures.
None of the following devices appropriately address the problems described above. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,859 to Church, a solid state electronic, timing, and cycling device is provided to automatically program the operation of all types of systems designed to distribute water for irrigation and the like. The Church control device includes an independent overriding circuit to operate one station without interring with the program. The Scott patent referred to above, describes an irrigation controller unit with an override switch inside the unit. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,044 to Otter et al, a fluid control system is described using a computer to override and reprogram the irrigation parameters. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,225 to Busalacchi an irrigation control system is described which, during an emergency override situation, all non-essential irrigations are shut down. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,612 to Hummel, Jr., et al, a remote control system for large-area sprinkler systems is disclosed using an AC coded signal superimposed upon the control circuit to permit anyone of a large number of sprinklers to be selectively operated and to control any selected operative sequence for the sprinklers. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,843 to Nicholson, a multiplexed automatic control system with a moisture sensor controlling each solenoid controlled water sprinkler valve. An irrigation control system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,400 to Cuming, namely a soil moisture sensor system capable of measuring moisture for both shallow and deep rooted plants. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,176 to Goff, a moisture sensitive irrigation valve control system is described which overrides the normal programmed irrigation cycle.
None of these devices and systems are directed to or satisfy the needs described above, nor attain the objects described herein below.